Bay-area firms dip toes in the big data pool

TAMPA — Big data is generating big buzz these days, as companies look for ways to capture, categorize and analyze the massive amounts of information technology has made available to them.

While the term is still new to some businesspeople, it’s already part of the investment plans of many others.

A Microsoft survey conducted in September of 282 IT decision-makers in the United States showed that nearly nine out of 10 had a dedicated budget for big data.

Meanwhile, Bay area companies are ramping up efforts to get in on the action.

Tampa technology startup Shootrac LLC is developing technology to photograph and tag tangible items, such as construction equipment, to feed into a database.

Catapult Systems, an Austin, Texas-based IT consulting company with an office in Tampa, has found opportunity helping companies navigate big data. Catapult helps clients implement Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) technologies and is a national systems integrator for the company.

Definitions of big data vary and have become “nebulous,” said Catapult Chief Technology Officer Apollo Gonzales.

Gonzales referred to a definition from technology research firm Gartner Inc. (NYSE: IT) that describes the “high-volume, high velocity and high variety” nature of big data.

While many people are becoming aware of big data and the “three Vs,” others have yet to dive deep into it, Gonzales said.

“Especially in the Tampa market, a smaller market, a lot of companies are dipping their toes into big data to understand the value,” he said.

Social media may be a likely starting point. Examining data from social media channels can help companies understand their customers.

“I can grab a lot of this information from Facebook and Twitter,” Gonzales said. “What does my brand look like outside my company? Are we responding to customer issues effectively?”

Proliferation of data

Data is now born digitally, whereas in the past it was entered. The change has resulted in “astronomical growth,” said David Rodriguez, senior application platform specialist for Microsoft.

“In the next five to ten years, we should expect to generate more data than in the past 5,000 years of history,” said Rodriguez, whose coverage area includes Florida and parts of Georgia.

Microsoft has been doing research for years in anticipation of the “data explosion.”

“We look at it as applying serious computer power to massive and highly complex sets of information,” he said.

Rodriguez described Microsoft as a “partner-centric” organization that operates through companies such as Catapult.

“Our partners deliver that explicit, technical knowledge that would be on the floor with a given customer,” he said.

Opening doors

At the local level, rising awareness of big data and its potential has paved the way for startups like Shootrac.

Founded in November, Shootrac markets the ability to “capture real-time, usable big data” on its “assets” and mobile workforce.

CEO Omar Garcia said he observed the need in his previous work with construction and oil and gas companies.

Named for its “shoot it” and “track it” system, the company specializes in the collection of “asset data” from the field via mobile devices.

Garcia is developing the technology with plans to roll it out in July.

The web-based system will allow users to take pictures of tangible items such as equipment, place “asset tags” on the images and add the information to a database.

Likely customers are municipalities, construction companies, oil and gas companies and others that have equipment, physical inventory or “assets” to track.

“The question is do they know where it’s being used and who is using it,” Garcia said. “Our system collects that data and organizes it in a way that the [customer] can run analytics.”

DEFINING BIG DATA

IBM defines big data by the “three Vs”— volume, velocity and variety — as well as a fourth V, veracity. Volume: Companies are awash with ever-growing data, amassing terabytes and petabytes of info. Example: Use 350 billion annual meter readings to predict power consumption Velocity: Big data can be used as it streams into a company to maximize value. Example: Study 5 million daily trade events to identify potential fraud Variety: Big data may be structured or unstructured data, such as texts, audio or log files. Example: Monitor hundreds of video surveillance camera feeds to target interest points Veracity: One in three business leaders don’t trust the information they use to make decisions. Establishing trust in big data will be a challenge. Source: IBM